Laundry

[deliver42]

We don't usually use laundry services on a ship, but we are booked for a 14 day cruise on the Jade, so we would use it on that cruise. Does NCL offer a deal of any kind for laundry service. RCCL does by the bag one time, but I'm not familiar with NCL's policy. Thank you in advance.

[BirdTravels]

NCL will offer a fill-a-bag for a flat fee twice during your cruise. Pre-shutdown it was $20 a bag (cheaper than Royal). 

[don't-use-real-name]

DEAL:

On a 7 day cruise about midway (4th day) a laundry bag deal is offered - - -

 

Everyone in the same cabin can participate - - -

 

All the items that can be stuffed into a paper sack*** for $20

There is itemized invoice to list the items - disregard the pricing

*** beef up that paper sack to maximize the items that can be put into it

If in a suite or Haven NCL has been switching over to a nylon sack much better. 

 

Cabin steward takes the bag on the morning of the 4th day and it is returned to you

late on the 5th day in a fancy wicker basket.

 

Only put items that are launderable -

no dry cleaning items* dry cleaning is separate from bag deal 

 

If you are Platinum or better Rewards Guest - you get the bag deal free.

[Turtles06]

41 minutes ago, don't-use-real-name said:

If you are Platinum or better Rewards Guest - you get the bag deal free.

Just to clarify: you get one free bag, at any time you want. No need to wait for the “deal” day. 

[kylenyc]

Bring some no residue masking/painters tape ... Useful for patching the very thin fragile paper laundry bag which inevitably will  tear, and so you can fill it up to the max and seal it up. Also useful for pinning notes for the steward or significant other.

Edited November 21, 2021 by kylenyc

[mking8288]

It's a simple trick that many others have followed & used successfully over the years - ask the room steward for an extra pillowcase, as the inner liner for that large, thin paper laundry bag ... forget about taping over it as it's not going to break.  Do an itemized count on the laundry slip, be sure to write your cabin # and name (and, if you are Platinum - for the free bag of wash & fold) - kindly alert your steward to pick it up early.  S/he can sometimes get it back to you sooner than promised.  Roll & stuff the smaller items into the 2 tiny corners in the bottom, and I usually use a t-shirt as a flap to fold over on the top end of the bag as a seal to close it.  

 

It will be returned to you, in a wicker basket, folded - unless you indicated hangers otherwise. All the items will have a small alpha-numeric laundry tags, hiding somewhere, that they use to keep track of the different batches washed & for sorted them for proper return.  Typically, we disembark with at least 1/3 to 1/2 rollerboard of fresh clothes, ready for the next journey. 

 

Off-topic: Towel animal (from 2018) while we're on the GEM - no longer "done" nightly, fleetwide, unless ... 

Edited November 21, 2021 by mking8288

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

All the items will have a small alpha-numeric laundry tags, hiding somewhere, that they use to keep track of the different batches washed & for sorted them for proper return. 

“Hiding” is right!  And they are tiny. I’ve sometimes found them long after the cruise is over. Always makes me smile. 

[The Traveling Man]

I usually try to double-bag so we can squeeze in the most.  Post-Covid the price has gone up.  We're Platinum Plus so it's free for us, but I think the "deal" is now $25.

[don't-use-real-name]

And beware those small ID tags - they itch - they bite - they irritate and they are always in

the best position to be annoying - waist band - collar - hem of a shirt or dress.

And they are a devil to remove from some fabrics but they do keep things together and

from getting lost.

 

Interesting if taking the BST (Behind Scenes Tour) the laundry operation and how the

personal things are taken care of.  

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

“Hiding” is right!  And they are tiny. I’ve sometimes found them long after the cruise is over. Always makes me smile. 

We're still finding them nearly two years after out last cruise. 🙂

[Turtles06]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

We're still finding them nearly two years after out last cruise. 🙂

 

I found one from the January 2020 Gem not that long ago.  It's amazing how they get those little tags into the places they do.  ☺️ 

[mking8288]

17 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

It's amazing how they get those little tags into the places they do.  ☺️ 

They must have a guide on where to stick them consistently, to ease post laundry sorting to sort all the items out of the huge dryers ... since the capacity is like 250+ lbs per jumbo load; and this part isn't automated unlike folding & stacking the napkins, towels, sheets & tablecloths, etc. 

 

I found one tag from our 2019 Dawn sailing just last week ... amazing  adhesive, strong but doesn't damage the fabrics or leave any bad residues behind - just don't fall off.

 

[Old & Retired]

10 hours ago, mking8288 said:

It's a simple trick that many others have followed & used successfully over the years - ask the room steward for an extra pillowcase, as the inner liner for that large, thin paper laundry bag ... forget about taping over it as it's not going to break.  Do an itemized count on the laundry slip, be sure to write your cabin # and name (and, if you are Platinum - for the free bag of wash & fold) - kindly alert your steward to pick it up early.  S/he can sometimes get it back to you sooner than promised.  Roll & stuff the smaller items into the 2 tiny corners in the bottom, and I usually use a t-shirt as a flap to fold over on the top end of the bag as a seal to close it.  

 

It will be returned to you, in a wicker basket, folded - unless you indicated hangers otherwise. All the items will have a small alpha-numeric laundry tags, hiding somewhere, that they use to keep track of the different batches washed & for sorted them for proper return.  Typically, we disembark with at least 1/3 to 1/2 rollerboard of fresh clothes, ready for the next journey. 

 

Off-topic: Towel animal (from 2018) while we're on the GEM - no longer "done" nightly, fleetwide, unless ... 

Why go to all that trouble?  Just ask for a Haven laundry bag.  They are made of a plastic type fiber that stretches and is almost impossible to break.

[don't-use-real-name]

39 minutes ago, Old & Retired said:

Why go to all that trouble?  Just ask for a Haven laundry bag.  They are made of a plastic type fiber that stretches and is almost impossible to break.

But if you are not in a suite or a Haven ?

Oh you can ask and it might happen - - -

 

Anyone had success or seen NCL with the new bags ?

 

I think NCL is finally getting the drift of replacing the paper bags with something more sturdy

and the best part recyclable eliminating paper trash.

[BirdTravels]

28 minutes ago, don't-use-real-name said:

I think NCL is finally getting the drift of replacing the paper bags with something more sturdy

and the best part recyclable eliminating paper trash.

Recyclable means that they need to be cleaned and sanitized. The touch labor for crumpling a paper bag and chucking it into the incinerator is far far less than cleaning one of the plastic reusable bags.  

[Shellbelle28]

Interesting laundry development on the Bliss last month. Laundry was returned per usual in the nice basket, but just a couple of tee shirts on top of the stack were folded, everything under it was in a crumpled bundle (underwear mostly). 

[BirdTravels]

23 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Just to clarify: you get one free bag, at any time you want. No need to wait for the “deal” day. 

In fact, the recommendation for the free laundry people (platinum or club suites), the recommendation is to avoid the “deal” day. We normally do it the day after. More things to stuff in bag and faster turnaround. 

[The Traveling Man]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

In fact, the recommendation for the free laundry people (platinum or club suites), the recommendation is to avoid the “deal” day. We normally do it the day after. More things to stuff in bag and faster turnaround. 

I also have noticed that when I have sent in some laundry on "deal" day it came back folded, even though I had specified "on hangers."  When doing laundry on other days, it usually does come back on hangers.  I guess they are just too busy on "deal" day and don't have enough hangers to go around.

[Firstin87]

About to use our free bag of laundry perk for the first time.  I assume whatever you put in the bag is done in the same load and the temperature is warm.  Does anyone know if that is correct?  Thanks.

[The Traveling Man]

17 hours ago, Firstin87 said:

About to use our free bag of laundry perk for the first time.  I assume whatever you put in the bag is done in the same load and the temperature is warm.  Does anyone know if that is correct?  Thanks.

The Laundry Department will tag your shirts, trousers, etc with a a code so they can identify them when they come out of the dryer.  Your items may or may not be placed in a single load.  They sometimes separate clothes by color or fabric type.  Your socks, underwear, etc will be placed in a mesh bag and washed together.  The bag also is tagged with a code to identify your room number.  NCL uses cool to warm water and no harsh detergents when washing passenger laundry.  Since you will be getting a free bag of laundry, I assume that you are now a Platinum Latitudes member.  Another perk of Platinum status is a free behind-the-scenes tour on each cruise of a week or more.  Unfortunately, it looks like Covid still will be keeping the BTS tours on hold for now.  Maybe when they resume you will want to take one and see how the ship's laundry operates, up close and personal.

[don't-use-real-name]

The Traveling Man

Maybe when they resume you will want to take one and see how the ship's laundry operates, up close and personal.

 

 

And while on that BST - time to ASK those questions about how your personal laundry is done.

BST tours are usually done on a SEA day - great when that occurs on the Bag Deal day !

Until that covid is over - will have to resort to the Q & A here are CC.

[Firstin87]

thank you so much, Traveling Man.  We've been Platinum for quite some time, but have never used the laundry perk before.  With three cruises between now and the end of April, (7, 9, and 10 days), I'll finally use it.

 

I'm looking forward to being able to do a BRS tour.  Hopefully, that returns soon.

 

 

[dcassetta]

We may use this service on the Bliss, but were wondering if there is a self-service laundry on the ship.  If so, what is the cost?

[phissy]

18 minutes ago, dcassetta said:

We may use this service on the Bliss, but were wondering if there is a self-service laundry on the ship.  If so, what is the cost?

NCL does not have self service laundry on board it’s ships. They offer laundry service, usually a special offered one day during cruise. Per bag, regardless how much is in it.  
Not sure how much now, used to be about $20-$25 per bag.

[mking8288]

@dcassetta - Short answer, no self-service laundry onboard any of the Norwegian fleet of ships since the mid 2000's, long before the arrival of the mega or *.away class.  But, you always 😉 have a choice with Woolite packets or equivalent for hand washables, delicate & undies at the bathroom sink (double sink in a "club" (mini) balcony suite) - free labor, just get your spouse-mate-partner to do it.